Slitter having pivotal multiple spaced pairs of arbors

ABSTRACT

A slitter having multiple spaced pairs of arbors pivotally mounted to the slitter frame. Each pair of arbors is adapted to carry cutter assemblies which can be pivoted into operating position at the selection of the user of the slitter.

United States Patent Braner et a].

SLITTER HAVING PIVOTAL MULTIPLE SPACED PAIRS OF ARBORS Inventors: HaroldR. Braner, Chicago; William C. Jasinski, Arlington Heights; Douglas S.Matsunaga; Agapito Valencia, both of Chicago, all of I11.

Braner Engineering, Inc., Chicago, Ill,

Filed: Nov. 26, 1971 Appl. No.: 202,237

Assignee:

US. Cl. ..83/479, 83/481, 83/492, 83/498, 83/699 Int. Cl ..B26d 1/24,B23d 19/04 Field of Search..'.....'. ..83/479, 480, 481, 83/492, 498,552, 699

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,291,789 8/l942 Behrens..83/479 X 3,260,146 7/1966 Child 83/479 3,513,743 5/1970 Montguire..83/479 X Primary Examiner-Frank T. Yost Attorney-Oltsch & Knoblock[57] ABSTRACT A slitter having multiple spaced pairs of arbors pivotallymounted to the slitter frame. Each pair of arhers is adapted to carrycutter assemblies which can be pivoted into operating position at theselection of the user of the slitter. 1

6 Claim, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTED APR I 7 I973 sum 1 0F 4 PATENTEU APR1 7 1915 SHEET 2 BF 4 PATENTED APR 1 7 B73 SHEET 3 0F 4 PAIENTEU APR 1 7ma SHEET l} UF 4 SLITTER HAVING PIVOTAL MULTIPLE SPACED PAIRS OF ARBORSSUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a slitter which cancarry a plurality of cutting assemblies to enable the user of theslitter to rapidly and efficiently change from one slitting operation toanother.

The slitter of this invention includes a frame carrying first and secondspaced bearing housings. The first bearing housing is pivotallyconnected to the frame and carries multiple spaced pairs of arbors. Eachpair of arbors constitutes upper and lower arbors which are eachjournaled at one end to the first bearing housing and which are adaptedto carry removable cutter assemblies. Each pair of arbors is alignablewith the second bearing housing upon pivotal movement of the firstbearing housing. The second bearing housing supports and journals theopposite ends of the aligned pair of arbors. During each slittingoperation one selected pair of the arbors will be supported between andjournaled within both bearing housings. At least one arbor of the pairof arbors so journaled within the bearing housings is preferably powerdriven by a driving mechanism carried by the second bearing housing. Asone slitting operation is being conducted, the user of the slitter canassemble the cutter assemblies required for the next slitting operationon one of the remaining pairs of arbors. Once the current slittingoperation is completed, the second bearing housing is operativelydisassociated from the arbors used in the completed operation and thefirst bearing housing pivoted to bring another pair of arbors carryingthe newly assembled cutters thereon into alignment and operativeassociation with the second bearing housing in preparation for startinga second slitting operation.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a slittercarrying a plurality of spaced pairs of arbors each being pivotal intoan operative slitting position.

Another object of this invention is to provide a slitter having multiplespaced pairs of arbors, each being shiftable into driving contact with abearing housing carried by the slitter.

It is another object of this invention to provide a slitter having aframe which carries first and second bearing housings and a plurality ofspaced pairs of arbors which are carried by the first bearing housingand shiftable into supporting contact with the second bearing housing.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a slitter havingmultiple spaced pairs of arbors each usable for a different slittingoperation.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a slitter which isof efficient and time-saving operation.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent upon a reading ofthe inventions description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A preferred embodiment of thisinvention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and descriptionwherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the slitter.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side view of the slitter.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view in sectional form of a portion of theslitter.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of one end of the slitter.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The preferred embodimentillustrated is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the inventionto the precise form disclosed. It is chosen and described in order tobest explain the principles of the invention and its application andpractical use to thereby enable others skilled in the art to bestutilize the invention.

The slitter illustrated in the drawings includes a frame 10. Frame 10carries bearing housings 12 and 14. Bearing housing 12 includesaturntable 16 which carries a plurality of upright bearing blocks 18 andwhich includes a depending pivot member or post 20. Post 20 of turntable16 is received within frame 10 and is journaled for rotative movementabout its axis by bearing members 22. Each bearing block 18 ispreferably equiradially positioned about the axis of rotation of post 20and carries a pair of arbors 24 and 26 which extend outwardly from theaxis of rotation of the post. The number of bearing blocks 18 andtherefore the number of pairs of arbors 24 and 26 carried by bearinghousing 12 can vary, depending upon the size and application of theslitter. With regard to each pair of arbors, arbor 24 is positioned overarbor 26 and parallels arbor 26. Each arbor 24 has one end 28 journaledwithin a bearing 30 carried by its associated bearing block 18 and eacharbor 26 has one end 28 journaled within a bearing 32 carried by itsassociated bearing block. The arbors 24 and 26 of each pair of arborsare longitudinally slotted to receive a plurality of knives or cutters34 and spacers 36 which are inserted over the opposite ends 38 of thearbors and which cooperate to define cutter assemblies 40. The cutters34 of each cutter assembly 40 are maintained in longitudinal alignmentupon their respective arbor by a removable lock nut 42.

Bearing housing 14 is spaced from bearing housing 12 and includes abearing block 44. Bearing block 44 includes slide bars 46 which restupon surface 48 of frame 10 and which are retained within spaced guides50 so as to enable block 44 to be shifted toward and away from bearinghousing 12. An actuator member 52, such as a hydraulic or pneumaticpiston and cylinder, is carried by frame 10 and includes anextendible-retractable actuator rod 54 which is connected to bearingblock 44. Upon activation, actuator member 52 will cause shiftablemovement of bearing block 44 within guides 50. When block 44 is shiftedaway from bearing housing 12, as shown in FIG. 3, bearing housing 12 maybe rotated with arbors 24 and 26 clearing block 44. Bearing block 44carries bearings 56 and 58 which are positioned to journal ends 38 ofeach pair of arbors 24 and 26 as the arbors are brought into alignmentwith bearing housing 14 upon pivotal movement of bearing housing 12.Bearing 56 includes a rotative sleeve 60 and bearing 58 includes arotative sleeve 62. End 38 of each arbor 24 has a slot 64 formed thereinto interlock with a key 65 carried by sleeve 60. End 38 of each arbor 26has a slot 66 formed therein to interlock with a key 67 carried bysleeve 62. With bearing block 44 shifted away from bearing housing 12,bearing housing 12 can be rotated until a selected pair of arbors 24 and26 is aligned with sleeves 60 and 62 of bearings 56 and 58. The alignedarbors are then rotated to align slots 64 and 66 in the ends of thearbors with keys 65 and 67 in the sleeves. Actuator member 52 is thenactivated to urge bearing block 44 toward the and down relative tobearings 32 and 58 which are fixedly positioned within their respectivebearing blocks. Bearings 30 and 56 are retained within their respectivebearing blocks by guide plates 70. A jackscrew assembly 72 is mounted tothe top of each bearing block 18 and 44. Each jackscrew assembly 72includes a vertically shiftable connector rod 74 which is connected tobearings 30 and 56 and which upon actuation of the jackscrew assemblycauses the connected bearing to be raised or lowered within its bearingblock. The jackscrew assembly 72 carried by bearing block 44 includes adrive shaft 76 which is connected at its outboard end to a drive motor78 and which upon rotation causes the raising and lowering of rod 74.The inboard end of drive shaft 76 defines a female coupler portion 80which is journaled within a suitable support 82. A shaft revolutioncounter 84 is operatively coupled to drive shaft 76.

Each jackscrew assembly 72 carried by a bearing block 18 includes adrive shaft 86 which is connected at one end to across-over shaft 88 andat the other end to a shaft revolution counter 90. Drive shaft 86, uponrotation, causes the'raising and lowering of rod 74 of the jackscrewassembly. Each cross-over shaft 88 extends outwardly from the rotationalaxis of bearing housing 12 and is journaled within a suitable support92. A male coupler portion 94 is formed at the free end of each shaft88. As a selected pair of arbors 24 and 26 is aligned with bearings 56and 58 carried in bearing housing 14 and bearing block 44 is shiftedtoward bearing housing 12 to couple ends 38 of the aligned arbors tosleeves 60 and 62, the male coupler portion 94 of the cross-over shaft88 associated with the aligned pair of arbors connects with femalecoupler portion 80 of the jackscrew assembly carried by bearing block44. With the aforementioned cross-over shaft 88 operativelyinterconnecting jackscrew assemblies 74 carried by bearing block 44 andone bearing block 18, drive motor 78 upon activation will cause thesimultaneous actuation of the jackscrew assemblies and the raising orlowering, depending upon direction of rotation of the drive motor, ofthe arbor 24 supported between the bearing blocks. Revolution counters84 and 90 serve to indicate the relative positions of the ends of arbor24 as it is raised or lowered. Arbors 26 lie in a horizontal planeextending normally to the axis of rotation of bearing housing 12. It isto be understood that in some constructions of this invention, arbor 26instead of or in conjunction with arbor 24 may be designed so as to beadjustable in position.

'Gears 96 carried by bearing block 44 mesh with gears 98 carried bysleeves 60 and 62 so that upon rotation of one sleeve the other sleevewill be correspondingly rotated in the opposite direction for anyoperative position of sleeve 60. In some applications of the slitter ofthis invention only sleeve 62 may be power driven or neither sleeve needbe power driven. A gear box 100 is mounted to frame and includes anoutput shaft 102 which is slidably received within sleeve 62.

with the sleeve experiencing sliding movement over the output shaft uponshiftable movement of bearing block 44. Thus, as bearing block 44 isshifted by actuator member 52 away from bearing housing 12 so as topermit pivotal movement of bearing housing 14, sleeve 62 will be movedrearwardly upon shaft 102 toward gear box 100. Once a selected pair ofarbors 24 and 26 are aligned with sleeves 60 and 62, actuator member 52will be activated to cause bearing housing 44 to be shifted towardbearing housing 12 with the sleeve 62 moving forwardly over shaft 102and over end 38 of the aligned arbor 26. The input shaft 106 of gear boxis operatively connected by suitable power transmitting gearing to shaft102 and carries a sprocket 108 which is operatively connected by anendless drive chain 110 to a sprocket 112 connected to a transmission114 located in the bottom of frame 10. A drivemotor 116 is connected totransmission 114. Actuation of motor 116 causes the rotation of outputshaft 102 which in turn causes the simultaneous rotation of sleeves 60and 62 and a corresponding rotation of that pair of arbors 24 and 26which is drive-connected to the sleeves.

The sheet material utilized in the slitting operation is carried upon astock roll and is fed between the cutter assemblies 40 carried by thatselected pair of arbors 24 and 26 supported between bearing housings l2and 14. The slit sheet material as it emerges from between the cutterassemblies is wound upon a power driven takeup roller which serves topull the material through the cutter assemblies. The power drive to thearbors serves to assist in the cutting operation and may include anoverriding clutch which can be carried within gear box 100 to permitfree running of the arbors should the speed of the take-up roll exceedthat of the driven speed of the arbors. For thin sheet material, it maybe desirable to utilize only the power drive to the arbors and, ifnecessary, a power drive to the stock roll to push the material throughthe cutter assemblies. In operation of the aforedescribed slitter, whileone slitting operation is being completed, the user of the slitter canarrange the cutting assemblies on one of the other unused pairs ofarbors 24 and 26 in preparation for the next slitting operation. Whenthe current slitting operation has been completed and the preassembledcutter assemblies pivoted into operative position for the next slitteroperation, the previously used cutter assemblies can be removed fromtheir arbors and the arbors prepared, if desired, for still anothersucceeding slitter operation. Through this means, the downtime for theslitter is maintained at a minimum. Additionally, the

size of one pair of arbors 24 and 26 may vary from the size of otherpairs of arbors carried by bearing housing 12 so as to accommodatevarious thicknesses of sheet material and slitter requirements.

It is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to thedetails herein given but may be modified within the scope of theappended claims.

What we claim is:

l. A slitter comprising a frame, first and second spaced housingscarried by said frame, means pivotally connecting said first housing tosaid frame, said first housing carrying multiple spaced pairs of arbors,each pair of arbors connected at one end to said first housing, eacharbor adapted to carry removable cutters, each pair or arbors beingalignable with said second housing upon pivotal movement of said firsthousing, the other end of each pair of arbors being supported by saidsecond housing when said arbors are aligned with said second housing,whereby said pairs of arbors so supported by said second bearing housingmay be utilized for one slitting operation and simultaneously therewithanother pair of arbors may be fitted with cutters for use in anothersubsequent slitting operation.

2. A slitter comprising a frame, first and second spaced bearinghousings carried by said frame, means pivotally connecting said firstbearing housing to said frame, said first bearing housing carryingmultiple spaced pairs of arbors, each pair of arbors journaled at oneend within said first bearing housing, each arbor adapted to carryremovable cutters, said second bearing housing being shiftable towardand away from said first bearing housing, each pair of arbors beingalignable with said second bearing housing upon pivotal movement of saidfirst bearing housing, the other end of each pair of arbors beingjournaled within said second bearing housing when said arbors arealigned with the second bearing housing and said second bearing housingis shifted toward said first bearing housing, whereby said pairs ofarbors so journaled within said second bearing housing may be utilizedfor one slitting operation and simultaneously therewith another pair ofarbors may be fitted with cutters for use in subsequent slittingoperation.

3. The slitter of claim 2 and drive means for rotating at least one ofthe arbors of each pair of arbors when journaled in said second bearinghousing.

4. The slitter of claim 3 wherein said drive means includes partscarried by said second bearing housing making driving contact with saidone arbor when journaled in said second bearing housing.

5. The slitter of claim 4 wherein said drive means includes a driveshaft carried by said frame, a sleeve journaled for rotation within saidsecond bearing housing, means connecting said sleeve to said drive shaftfor rotation with but permitting longitudinal movement relative to saiddrive shaft, means securing said sleeve to said second bearing housingfor shiftable movement with said second bearing housing toward and awayfrom said first bearing housing, said sleeve remaining in rotatablecontact with said drive shaft during said shiftable movement of saidsecond bearing housing, said one arbor being alignable with said sleeveupon pivotal movement of said first bearing housing and carrying meansfor connecting said one arbor to said sleeve for rotation with saiddrive shaft when said second bearing housing is shifted toward saidfirst bearing housing.

6. The slitter of claim 5 and a second sleeve journaled for rotationwithin said second bearing housing, the other of the arbors of each pairof arbors being alignable with said second sleeve upon pivotal movementof said first bearing housing and carrying means for connecting saidother arbor to said second sleeve, first gear means carried by saldsleeves, second gear means in driving association with said first gearmeans for causing rotation of said second sleeve and connected otherarbor upon rotation of said drive shaft.

1. A slitter comprising a frame, first and second spaced housingscarried by said frame, means pivotally connecting said first housing tosaid frame, said first housing carrying multiple spaced pairs of arbors,each pair of arbors connected at one end to said first housing, eacharbor adapted to carry removable cutters, each pair or arbors beingalignable with said second housing upon pivotal movement of said firsthousing, the other end of each pair of arbors being supported by saidsecond housing when said arbors are aligned with said second housing,whereby said pairs of arbors so supported by said second bearing housingmay be utilized for one slitting operation and simultaneously therewithanother pair of arbors may be fitted with cutters for use in anothersubsequent slitting operation.
 2. A slitter comprising a frame, firstand second spaced bearing housings carried by said frame, meanspivotally connecting said first bearing housing to said frame, saidfirst bearing housing carrying multiple spaced pairs of arbors, eachpair of arbors journaled at one end within said first bearing housing,each arbor adapted to carry removable cutters, said second bearinghousing being shiftable toward and away from said first bearing housing,each pair of arbors being alignable with said second bearing housingupon pivotal movement of said first bearing housing, the other end ofeach pair of arbors being journaled within said second bearing housingwhen said arbors are aligned with the second bearing housing and saidsecond bearing housing is shifted toward said first bearing housing,whereby said pairs of arboRs so journaled within said second bearinghousing may be utilized for one slitting operation and simultaneouslytherewith another pair of arbors may be fitted with cutters for use insubsequent slitting operation.
 3. The slitter of claim 2 and drive meansfor rotating at least one of the arbors of each pair of arbors whenjournaled in said second bearing housing.
 4. The slitter of claim 3wherein said drive means includes parts carried by said second bearinghousing making driving contact with said one arbor when journaled insaid second bearing housing.
 5. The slitter of claim 4 wherein saiddrive means includes a drive shaft carried by said frame, a sleevejournaled for rotation within said second bearing housing, meansconnecting said sleeve to said drive shaft for rotation with butpermitting longitudinal movement relative to said drive shaft, meanssecuring said sleeve to said second bearing housing for shiftablemovement with said second bearing housing toward and away from saidfirst bearing housing, said sleeve remaining in rotatable contact withsaid drive shaft during said shiftable movement of said second bearinghousing, said one arbor being alignable with said sleeve upon pivotalmovement of said first bearing housing and carrying means for connectingsaid one arbor to said sleeve for rotation with said drive shaft whensaid second bearing housing is shifted toward said first bearinghousing.
 6. The slitter of claim 5 and a second sleeve journaled forrotation within said second bearing housing, the other of the arbors ofeach pair of arbors being alignable with said second sleeve upon pivotalmovement of said first bearing housing and carrying means for connectingsaid other arbor to said second sleeve, first gear means carried by saidsleeves, second gear means in driving association with said first gearmeans for causing rotation of said second sleeve and connected otherarbor upon rotation of said drive shaft.